Rotary Wing Aviation

Abstract

This project develops/upgrades Special Operation Forces (SOF) rotary wing aircraft systems that operate in increasingly hostile environments. This project includes modifications to Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE) and weapons systems to counter rapidly merging threats, improved lethality and enhanced aircraft self-protection. Rotary wing aircraft supported by this project include: A/MH-6M, MH-60M, and MH-47G. These aircraft provide aviation support to SOF in world-wide contingency operations and low-intensity conflicts and they must be capable of rapid deployment, undetected penetration of hostile areas, and operating at extended ranges under adverse weather conditions to infiltrate, provide logistics for, reinforce, and extract SOF. The threat is characterized by an extensive and sophisticated ground based air defense system and an upgraded air-to-air capability targeted against helicopters. Sub-projects include: • A/MH-6M Block 3.0 Upgrade is necessary to restore structural, performance, and safety margins for the aircrews. An airframe structural modification and/or airframe replacement will address recurring structural failures due to high intensity, high gross weight operations, and a decade of battle damage. A main/tail rotor drive train and engine control improvement efforts will reduce airframe loads and restore sufficient safety and performance margins. An avionics upgrade Non-Developmental Item/Commercial Off-the-Shelf (NDI/COTS) will replace obsolescent components and provide improved battlefield situational awareness to the aircrews and customers necessary to support time sensitive mission requirements. This upgrade is critical in keeping the A/MH-6M aircraft operational through FY 2020 and beyond or until a suitable replacement aircraft is available. The non-recurring effort supports development, fabrication of test hardware, qualification of components and systems, and data items to support issuance of Government airworthiness releases for structural and software modifications. This sub-project includes modifications to ASE and weapons systems to counter rapidly merging threats, munitions for testing and enhanced aircraft self-protection. • MH-60M Modification and Upgrades develops technologies to improve safety of the MH-60 and decrease operational costs. Efforts include, but are not limited to DOD MH-60 engineering changes, product improvements to SOF unique equipment and munitions during testing. This sub-project also includes modifications to ASE and weapons systems to counter rapidly emerging threats, improve lethality and enhance aircraft protection. The FY 2017 funding request was reduced by $2.000 million to account for the prior year execution balances. • MH-60M Block Upgrades provides the development, integration, and qualification efforts on the MH-60 helicopter to include flight test support, engineering analysis, documentation, and airworthiness substantiation. • Degraded Visual Environment (DVE) solution will fuse information from currently fielded aircraft sensors with emerging technology to display real-time reference points, obstacles, and landing zone information to the aviator. The DVE solution will provide MH-47/60 aircrews with visual cues for obstacle avoidance and aircraft control during all phases of flight and significantly increase crew and passenger survivability in DVE such as dirt and snow. This program addresses SOF-unique requirements for rapid fielding and weight limitations, capitalizes on the unique skills of the SOF aviator while integrating with SOF-unique avionics, and leverages to the maximum extent possible, the use of existing sensors on SOF aircraft. • Future Vertical Lift (FVL) program provides for the long-term replacement of an aging fleet of aircraft and provides a significant increase in range, speed, payload, survivability, reliability, and maintainability of vertical lift aircraft to meet emerging mission requirements. USSOCOM will participate in the service-common development of a joint future vertical lift aircraft by injecting USSOCOM requirements and equities into the initial development and design efforts to minimize SOF-peculiar modifications to the common aircraft. • Infrared Countermeasure (IRCM) program provides a low Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) capability suitable for the A/MH-6 Mission Enhanced Little Bird with potential use on the MH-60 and MH-47 aircraft. The IRCM program will develop, integrate, qualify, and test a complete lightweight IRCM system to include a missile warning system, countermeasure capability and infrared suppressor. The A/MH-6 is the only tactical aircraft in the SOF inventory without protection from infrared guided and other advanced Man Portable Air Defense missiles. • MH-47G Modifications and Upgrades program develops technologies to improve performance and safety of the MH-47G and decrease operational costs. Efforts include, but not limited to the Active Parallel Actuator System (APAS), Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), and Engine Barrier Filter. This sub-project also includes modifications to ASE and weapons systems to counter rapid emerging threats and enhance aircraft self-protection. The FY 2017 funding request was reduced by $5.000 million to account for the availability of prior year execution balances. • Mission Processor Upgrade (MPU) program provides for non-recurring engineering (NRE), systems engineering/testing, and future aircraft architecture studies that support the replacement and upgrade of the current mission and video processors for all Army Special Operations Aviation (ARSOA). Upgrading all internal processors increases the processing power to support critical functionality and emerging technologies that will be integrated into the Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS). This MPU provides the processing and memory resources required to incorporate the following functions into the General Purpose Processing Unit (GPPU): (1) Global Air Traffic Management replaces ground-based navigation aids with a capability that meets the international requirement that all aircraft be compliant with digital and space-based navigation systems; (2) Situational Awareness for Safe Aircraft Recovery provides passive survivability for flight operations in all weather conditions by providing three-dimensional displays with flight path guidance to increase battle space awareness in zero-visibility conditions; (3) Cognitive Decision Aiding System fuses information on threat, route, weather, terrain, and friendly forces instantaneously adjusting an aircraft’s route to protect the flight crew in hazardous weather, low levels, and night conditions. The FY 2017 funding request was reduced by $3.000 million to account for the availability of prior year execution balances. • Next Generation Forward Looking Infrared (NGFLIR) program improves targeting, tracking, and aircrew situational awareness on ARSOA platforms. This program mitigates obsolescence and increasing functionality on the light and heavy assault platforms within the ARSOA fleet.

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Document Type: Project
Publication Date: Oct 01, 2017
Source ID: D615_1160403BB_7_0400_PB_2017

Rotary Wing Aviation

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